Life Update

Every good story has at least one moment of return- a point of redemption. I think I might be living one of mine. When I was 17, my mom was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. We moved across the country three days after diagnosis for treatment. Initially the doctors said it would only take three months and then we could go back home- to South Dakota. Three months turned into three years, then college happened, and a couple more years started adding up. I went through various phases of grief and denial. It was only in recent years that I began genuinely striving to be fully present in the communities I found myself in. Truthfully, there was always part of me that desired the return. Now I am living it in all its frustrations, fears, joys, and excitement.

Three weeks ago I was offered a job in the Black Hills of South Dakota. I had been actively looking for jobs for a few months and this one was ordained. In three weeks I have packed my belongings, said goodbyes, and moved. My first week in the Hills is under my belt and I am looking forward to discovering what it means to make a home on my own. I look forward to discovering community. I am learning a new definition for longing and loneliness simultaneous with my excitement.

In this new phase of life, I am gaining even more appreciation for small acts of kindness, glimpses of the divine in mundane acts, and the grandeur of nature. I am discovering the importance of choosing peace both consciously and subconsciously in each moment. I can't wait to share these times with you.

 Each day that is given to you is full of the shy graciousness of divine tenderness.... Each day is a secret story woven around a radiant heart of wonder. We let our days fall away like empty shells and miss all the treasure.